1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electronic packaging for cards and electrical connectors.
2. Description of Related Art
Computers are usually constructed with a plurality of electronic cards that are coupled to a motherboard. The cards have a connector at one end that plug into mating connectors mounted on a motherboard. The cards will typically have another connector on the opposite end to allow the computer to be coupled to an external device. Such a connector is commonly found on internal modem or facsimile cards.
High density connectors are commonly of the pin/socket type. Pin/socket connectors have electrically conductive pins and mating sockets that are embedded in separate dielectric housings. Most pin/socket connectors have a metal shell around the dielectric housings. The shell provides structural support for the connector and protects the dielectric and electrical contacts from being damaged. The shell may have a pair of tabs or ears that allow the connector to be bolted onto the card. Connector attachment is somewhat time consuming, typically requiring the installation of fasteners. It would therefore be desirable to have a connector that can be attached to an electronic card without fasteners.
It has always been desirable to add additional cards to a computer system. In most personal computers, a cover must be removed to add or replace the cards. With laptop computers removing the cover or disassembling the housing is impractical. It is desirable to have a computer that allows a card to be plugged into the system through a slot in the housing. Because laptop computers are relatively thin, the slots are somewhat narrow. It has been found that standard pin/socket connectors are two wide to allow the cards to be inserted into the narrow slots. It would therefore be desirable to provide a thin connector that can allow a card to be inserted into a portable computer system such as a laptop.